IP Owners Group Criticizes FTC Order In Google Case

Law360, New York (February 1, 2013, 2:56 PM EST) -- The Federal Trade Commission's recent settlement with Google Inc. over standard-essential patents failed to provide companies with enough information about what the government believes is an unfair business practice, the Intellectual Property Owners Association told the agency Thursday.

The group, made up of over 200 major companies, said in a letter that it was concerned that the FTC used its Section 5 authority — which prohibits companies from engaging in unfair methods of competition — as the basis for its complaint alleging Google misused its standard-essential...